Planning an Itinerary to Ireland

By johnWwT

Saturday, 27th April 2019

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Planning an Ireland Itinerary

Ok so you are going to visit the Emerald Isle for the first time, well done a wise choice!

The main advice we would recommend is to enjoy the planning and try not to overplan. Allow for the unplanned spur of the moment stops. You never know what you will see or who you will meet when you open your mind to the unexpected. Be warned there is an incredible amount of BS tips, suggestions and itinerary advice on the net saying you absolutely have to go here or there.

Try break it down into a few simple steps.

Decide how long you can vacation for and what you wish to see, is it scenery, castles/ancient monuments/pubs /experience culture or a mix of all these.
The obvious tip is try not to cram too much in a short period of time. Your on holiday not in a race! As the Irish say 'Tog e Bog e' – (Take it easy).This is Ireland and a couple of days spent in the one town or village can be so pleasurable if time allows.
Avoid spending too much time in Dublin, a day or two to get over the jet lag is plenty.The centre of Dublin very walkable and much can be seen in a short space of time. The more popular attractions book out early. Consider the Hop on Hop off Bus- make sure you get the green one.
Quite simply the West is the Best so spend most of your time there. This is also known as the Wild Atlantic Way. This starts in beautiful Kinsale, Cork and ends way up North in lovely Donegal. That is not so say there are not superb places in the South, North and East of course there is. You have Irelands Ancient East (Newgrange, Rock of Cashel etc), Kilkenny, Waterford and many more but try to alot two thirds of your time in the West.
In regards to accommodation there are many lovely B & B’s that wont break the bank. Always find out exactly where you are staying and consider how you will get back after a night out dining or in the pub. You dont want to be out in the sticks every night!
Frequently overlooked spots that are absolutely gorgeous include Mayo, Donegal and West Cork. Its their geographic position, lack of 5 Star hotels aswell as vast marketing of other areas that contribute to these areas being often ignored. The other advantage to these areas is way less crowds!
Pack light and pack right. Be prepared for sun, rain, gales all in the one day .Pack comfortable shoes.

Ok so how long should we stay?

For a Private Tour of Ireland 6 days is very good to see a good chunk of the country.

7 or 8 is better while 10 – 12 days can cover both North and South.

Consider visiting Ireland in the shoulder months April/May or September/October which means less crowds and lower prices.

Enjoy travelling along the Irish countryside and take your time to soak it all in!